HB73: HB73 Seminole County; Board of Education; provide nonpartisan elections

Since 1983, members of the Seminole County Board of Education have been elected through partisan elections under a local law establishing the board. House Bill 73 amends that law so that all board elections held after August 1, 2025 will be nonpartisan, meaning candidates will not run under a political party label, following the process set out in Georgia's nonpartisan election rules (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-139). The bill does not change the terms of current board members; they will finish out their existing terms and remain eligible to run again. It sets a specific election schedule: board members from districts one, three, and five will be elected at the nonpartisan general election in 2026, and members from districts two and four at the nonpartisan general election in 2028. After that, successors will be elected on the same nonpartisan schedule as each term expires. Elected members take office January 1 following their election and serve four-year terms.

• Converts all future Seminole County Board of Education elections held after August 1, 2025 from partisan to nonpartisan, per O.C.G.A. § 21-2-139.
• Preserves the current terms of sitting board members, letting them finish their terms and run again if they choose.
• Schedules the election of board members from districts one, three, and five for the 2026 nonpartisan general election.
• Schedules the election of board members from districts two and four for the 2028 nonpartisan general election.
• Sets future successor elections to occur at the nonpartisan general election in the year each term expires.
• Confirms board members take office January 1 after election and serve four-year terms.

Seminole County residents who vote in board of education elections, current and future candidates for the board, and sitting board members whose terms and eligibility to run again are addressed by the bill.

Candidates for the Seminole County school board will no longer appear on the ballot with a party label, which changes how voters identify and choose candidates. The bill also locks in a specific election calendar for board seats through 2028 and beyond.

• Section 1 revises Section 3 of the 1983 Act creating the board, requiring elections held after August 1, 2025 to be nonpartisan under O.C.G.A. § 21-2-139.
• Section 1(a) clarifies that the change does not affect the terms of board members currently in office.
• Section 1(b) sets the 2026 nonpartisan general election for districts one, three, and five, and the 2028 election for districts two and four.
• Section 1(c) sets a January 1 start date for elected members and four-year terms.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 196
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-02-27Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-02-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-02-21Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-20House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 20, 2025

   138 yea, 29 nay (5 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #53

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 27, 2025

   48 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #98

• school board elections
• nonpartisan elections
• Seminole County
• local education law